Flow visualization of trace particles and red blood cells in a microchannel wit...

• Author(s): Leble, Vladimir ; Fernandes, Carla S. ; Dias, Ricardo P. ; Lima, R. ; Ishikawa, Takuji ; Imai, Yohsuke ; Yamaguchi, Takami
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/7116
• Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
• Subject(s): Blood flow; Microcirculation; Bifurcations; RBCs
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

This paper aims to investigate the effect of both diverging and converging bifurcations on the flow behaviour of pure water (PW) and red blood cells (RBCs). A confocal micro-PTV system is used to visualize and measure the flow characteristics of the working fluids. The results show no formation of a cell-free layer (CFL) around the apex of the bifurcation. In contrast, there is a clear formation of a triangular CFL just downstream of the confluence apex. As a result, this triangular CFL seems to play an important role on the in vitro blood flow characteristics at this region.